Apparatus for dyeing hat bodies and similar materials



April 29, 1930. K. F. KRANEY 1,756,599

APPARATUS FOR DYEING HAT BODIES AND SIMILAR MATERIALS Filed Feb. 27,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l K. F. KRAN EY April 29, 1930.

APPARATUS FOR DYEING HAT BODIES AND SIMILAR MATERIALS Filed Feb. 27,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 hlm |NVENTOR Z-izrici fran/sy) I i AIIUTORN EYPatented Apr. 29, 1930 KARL FRIEDRICH KRANEY, F GUBEN, GERMANY APPARATUSFOR DYEING HAT BODIES AND SIMILAR MATERIALS Application led February 27,1929. Serial No. 343,281.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dyeing piecematerial, such as hat bodies; and the invention has reference, moreparticularly, to a novel construction of apparatus adapted to circulatea dye solution, in which the piece material is submerged, in such novelmanner as to assure agitation of the material in the solution to the endthat uniform and thorough applica- 0 tion of the dye solution to saidmaterial is assured.

ln dyeing apparatus as heretofore employed, the material to be dyed issubmerged in the dye solution, and may be subjected to alternate suctionand ressure, whereby the material, although per aps somewhat shifted, isnot agitated suihciently to prevent the tendency thereof to pile up ormass together, with the result that material at the center or 2ointerior of the pile or mass is not subjected to the dye solution aseffectively as are the outer layers of the pile or mass to which the dyesolution has easier access, and consequently all portions of the batchof material are not uniformly dyed. This is also true with'reyspect todyeing apparatus in which the material to be dyed lies in a perforatedcylinder, which is submerged and rotated in the dye solution so thatlsaid dye solution Q flows back and forth through the cylinderperforations. The same is also'true with re- -spect to the more moderntypes of dyeing a paratus, comprising a vat having, below t e normal dyesolution level, a perforate bottom and a perforate side wall or screendividing the dyeing chamber from the mixing chamber, and which isprovided with means for driving the dye solution alternately through thebottom screen and side screen,

40 since the reversing currents of dye solution thus produced do notsufficiently agitate and reposition the pieces of material being dyed,and consequently said pieces of material tend to move as a massalternately against the bot- 4 e5 tom and side screens, and consequentlyuniform access of the dye solution to all individual pieces of materialis not obtained. In the latter type of apparatus, it is necessary tomanually stir the material from time to time, to adequately shift thepieces of material with relation one to another, so that from tlme totime innerpieces ofthe mass are shifted to outer positions and viceversa, to thus assure that all pieces are more or less uniformlysubjected to the effects of the dye solution. However, since the piecesof material, especially when the same comprise hat bodies, as submergedand floating in the hot dye solution, become soft and sensitive, itfollows that, when thus manually stirred, there is no inconsiderablerisk of damaging the same, and not infrequently the material isblemished and sometimes entirely spoiled.v

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a novelconstruction of apparatus for dyeing piece material, such as hat bodies,having means for so causing, directing and controlling the circulationof a dye solution, that the hat bodies are constantly subjected to avery effective agitation or shifting movement with relation one toanother within the solution, whereby the same cannot remain in a mass orpile, but are shifted about so as to frequently change position inrelation yone to another, thus permitting the dye solution to uniformlyand eiiiciently apply itself to each individual hat body to produceuniform dyeing of the batch, and also avoiding any necessity for manualstir- I ring of the batch with attendant risk of blemishing or damagingthe hat bodies. i

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of the same. n

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinalsection of a dye tub, made according to and embodying the principles ofthis invention, but with the dye solution circulating means inactive;Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the operation of the dye solutioncirculating means when causing circulation in one direcl tion; Figure 3is a similar view, showing the operation of the dye solution circulatingmeans when causing circulation in the opposite direction; Figure 4 is atop view of the dye tub, showing the bottom screen, partly y100 brokenaway; Figure 5 is a vertical section of the tub with the side screenadjusted to reduce capacity of the tub; and Figure 6 is an enlar edfragmentary view showing the stun ox for the propeller shaft, whereby aeak proof entrance of the latter into the tub interior is provided.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabovedescribed views, to indicate corresponding parts.

The novel apparatus -or dyeing piece material made a-ccording to thepresent invcntion, comprises a vat or tub 10, which may be supported ona frame-work including standards 11, or otherwise mounted. Within theinterior of the tub or vat 10 is disposed a transverse partition, whichsubdivides said interior to provide therein a dye mixing chamber 12 anda dyeing chamber 13. The main body 14 of said partition extends upwardlyfrom the bottom of the tub or vat and is suitably fixed therein. Abovesaid main body portion 14 of the partition and aligned therewith, is aremovable panel 15, which slides in guide grooves 16 provided in theinterior faces of the side walls of said vat or tub 10; and alsoremovably engaged in said guide grooves 16 is a perforate side screenmember, comprising a suitable frame 17 to which is aiiixed a perforateplate or mesh screen 18. Extending through the rear wall of the vat ortub 10 is a drive shaft 19, the said rear wall being provided with aliquid tight bearing, in the form of a stuffing box 20, for supportingsaid shaft 19. Formed in said main body 14 of the partition is anopening 21 concentric to the shaft 19, and fixed on said shaft androtatable in said opening 21 is a propeller device 22. Arranged in thelower portion of said dyeing chamber 13, and above said propeller 22 isa perforate bottom screen 23, which may be made of perforate sheetmaterial, wire mesh, or in any other suitable manner. The front wall 24of said vat or tub 10, which opposes the partition, comprising the body14, panel 15 and side screen `18, and which is opposite the propeller22, is upwardly and outwardly inclined or obliquely disposed, as shownin the drawings.

If desired, there may be provided in connection with the mixing chamber12 a depending intake pipe 25, which terminates above the propeller butadjacent thereto. The upper end of said intake pipe may be Jfurnishedwith a funnel-like mouth 26. A dye material or solution, to be mixedwith a predetermined amount of water with which the tub is supplied, maybe introduced through the intake pipe 25 so as to be deposited in thewater adjacent to the propeller, so that rotation of the latter mayserve to thoroughly mix the dye material with and through the watercontent of the tub. The propeller 22, through its shaft 19, may bedriven by an electric motor 27, or by any other desired source of powerthrough any convenient form of transmission mechanism. It is desirable,however, that the application of powerto the propeller be so arrangedthat the rotation of the latter may be periodically reversed, wherebythe same is caused to alternately turn in opposite directions. When aprime mover of electric motor type is employed, the reversing drive maybe accomplished by reversing the rotation of the motor from time to timethrough any suitable form of reversing switch mechanism,diagrammatically indicated at 28.

The reference character H indicates piece material in the form ofconical hat bodies. A predetermined number of said hat bodies H, forminga batch to be dyed, is deposited in the water with which the tub or vatis supplied, and the dye material, in suitable form, is supplied to formwith the water content of the tub or vat a dyeing solution. When avmaximum batch of hat bodies H is desired to be dyed, the panel 15 of thepartition is arranged next to the main body 14, and the side screen 18is disposed at the extreme top of the partition, as shown in Figures 1to 3 inclusive. The normal level of the solution in the vat ortub'should then be disposed approximately at the bottom margin of theside screen 18, which in operation should always project above thenormal fluid level of the dye solution.

When a batch of hat bodies and the desired dye solution have beendeposited in the tub or vat 10, the operation of the apparatus is asfollows The propeller 22 is first caused to turn in one direction, forexample as in Figure 2, whereby a suction eEect is .produced relative tothe dyeing chamber 13. The suction of the propeller, thus' operated,draws away the .lye water from the bottom of the dye chamber 13 throughthe bottom screen 23, while at the.

same time forcing the dye water upwardly through the mixing chamber 12,and then discharging the same through the side screen 18 into the top ofthe dyeing chamber 13 above the fluid level of the dye solution therein.As a result of this operation, the dye water 4is caused to circulatedownwardly through the dyeing chamber 13, thus producing a descendingcurrent which tends to draw the hat bodies H toward the bottom screen23. Within a short time the hat bodies, influenced by the descendingcurrent of dye water, tend to accumulate and come to rest on the bottomscreen 23, and thereby prevent the dye water from passing directlythrough the screen,but instead forces such dye water to work itselfthrough the material of the hat bodies being dyed, to therebygive thehat bodies color. The dye water, which is discharged during suchcirculation into the tub or vat through the side screen 18, will pourdown upon the surface of the water in the d eing chamber 13, so that anyhat bodies whicll7 may be floating on or beneath the surface of the dyewater will receive the effects of the dye carried by the dye waterdischarged illustrated more particularly in igure 2 of' the drawings.

After the apparatus has been working for a suliicient length of time inthe above described manner, the rotation of the propeller is reversed,with the result that the direction of the circulation of the dye wateris also reversed, and consequently the current or stream of the latterwill be thereupon forced upwardly through the bottom screen 23 of the deing chamber 13, whereby the level of the ye water in the dyeing chamber13 is raised, causing the same to discharge from the to of the dyeingchamber 13, through the si e screen 18, back into the mixing chamber 12.The effect of this reversing of the current is to drive the hat bodies Haway from the bottom screen 23, while at the same time more or lessscattering the same and separating them one from another. Since thecurrent or stream forced by the propeller-toward the dyeing chamber 13is directed towards the o posing oblique wall 24 of the dyeing chamber,the stream is deflected upwardly by the angle of this wall, and thus, isturned upward and through the bottom screen. rIhe drive of the ascendingcurrent or stream is more vigorous adjacent to the oblique wall 24, andconsequently a whirling current within the dyeing chamber 13 isproduced, the same rising along the oblique wall 24 toward the upperlevel of the dye water and descending along the partition 14-15. Theeiiect of this whirling stream or current is to carry along the hatbodies with whirling movement tending to separate the same one fromanother and to break up the pile thereof which had accumulated on thebottom screen 23 during the first phase of the operation. In this waythe hat bodies are thoroughly agitated and shifted about with relationone to the other without any necessity for stirring by means of handmanipulated paddles or other implements, and a more thorough intermixingof the hat bodies is attained, than is possible to be accomplished byhand stirring performed by the most skilled Workmen. This phase of theoperation is illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

After a period of operation in the manner immediately above described,the propeller is again reversed in its movement so as to cause thecirculation of the dye water to take place as `iirst described,l to wit,downbe employed to control the ment of the circulated dye water, andconse-A wardly through the bottom screen, upwardly through the mixingchamber 12 and back into the top of the dylemg chamber, through the sldescreen 18, w ereupon the hat bod-les are agaln caused to settle andaccumulate on the bottom screen 23, so that the dye water is' more orless forcefully sucked therethrough. However, since the hat bodies beingdyed hayetaken -up relatively entirely different positlons, due to theagitation thereof by the current operating. under the second phase ofthe operation, W en again the same accumulate on the bottom screen 23they are differently laced with respect to each other, and, there ore,differently worked on b the dye water than in the first case. Since thereversing of the current or circulation of the dye waters occursalternatel numberless times during the dyeing of a atch of hat bodies,and since the amountof dye contained in the water may be continuallyrestored and kept in well mixed solution in the dye water, assurancethat every (individual hat body will be penetrated by suliicientquantity of dye stuff is certain, and the dyeing will be regular anduniform with respect to each and every individual hat body.

It will be obvious, from the above descripj tion, that the hat bodiesbeing dyed during the operations described are thoroughly agitated andadequately subjected to the effects of the dye solution, so that withthe apparatus of this invention not only completel sized hats can bedyed but also hats whic are only half sized may be d ed without any riskof injury to the hat bo y, since there is no necessity for using handactuated im lements for stirring and agitating the at bodies while inthe dye solution.

It will be understood that the alternated directional currentcirculation of thev dye water may be attained in various ways, either byhand actuated means or by power driven means, so long as the relation ofthe side screen 18 above normal fluid level of the dye water within thetub or vat is provided. It will also be understood that power drivendevices other than the described propeller may directional movequently,as to the broader aspects of this invention, I do not limit myselfsolely to employment of the propeller type of circulating means.

In the use of the apparatus of this invention, it may at times bedesirable to work batches of hat bodies or other piece material, smallerthan those which the full capacity of the tub or vat will normallyaccomodate. In such case, it is desirable to employ a smaller volume ofdye water. To permit of this, the apparatus is so constructed andarranged, as to enable the operator to quickly reduce the capacity ofthe tub, and this is also a novel feature of this invention. To this endI prosaid vide the movable panel 15 in connection with the partition 14,andso arrange the same that it is interchangeable in position with theside screen 18. In other words the panel 15 and side screen 18 may beremoved, and then the side screen may be re laced next to the mainpartition body 14, an the panel 15 replaced above the side screen 18,the parts thenoccupying the positions and relations shown in Figure 4 ofthe drawings. When thus arranged the normal dye water level within thetub 10 may be brought down to the lower margin of the redisposed sidescreen, thereby greatly reducing the volume of dye water necessary to beprovided for small batch dyeing. Otherwise, in operation of thelapparatus, as thus adjusted, the circulation of the dye water andconsequent agitation and deposit of the hat bodies takes place in thesame manner as already described.

As various changes, other than those already referred'to, could be madein the above described construction of dyeing apparatus, and many widelydifferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

1. In an apparatus for dyeing aggregate piece material, such as aplurality of hat bodies, a tub, a vertical partition extending upwardlythrough said tub from its bottom to subdivide the interior thereof toprovide a mixing chamber and a dyeing chamber, a perforate bottom screeninthe lower end of dyeing chamber spaced above'thebottom of said tub, aperforate side screen "between the upper end of said -dyein `chamber andsaidmixing chamber, s'aid si e screen forming a part of said verticalpartition extending above the normal fluid level of the dye solutionwith which the tub is supplied, and means below the bottom screen andbetween said dyeing chamber and said mixing chamber for alternatelycirculating the dye solution in op osite directions through the bottomand si e screens and between said dyeing chamber and mixing chamber, sothat the ieee material is alternately massed on said ottom screensubject to the iiow of the dye solution therethrough and then whirledabout the interior. of said dyeing chamber to break means is disposed atan upwardlyand outwardly directed angle whereby when the dye solution isforced upwardly through said dyeing chamber a whirling current 1sproduced within the latter above said bottom screen adapted to agitateand shift about the individual pieces of material to thoroughly intermixthe same.

4. In an apparatus as defined in claiml, in which the subdividingpartition includes a movable panel normally disposed beneath said sidescreen but which may be interchangeably positioned relative to saidperforate side screen to permit the latter to be operatively disposed ata lower elevation, to thereby reduce the dye solution capacity of thetub and its dyeing chamber when it is desired to operate oncomparatively small batches of piece material.

5. In an apparatus for dyeing aggregate piece material, such as aplurality of hat bodies, a tub, a vertical partition extending upwardlythrough said tub from its bottom to subdivide the interior thereof toprovide a mixing chamber and a dyeing chamber; said'partition includingat its upper end a movable panel and perforate side screen, the latterbeing normally above the former to project beyond the fluid level of dyesolution when the tub is'supplied with said solution for full capacityoperation, but interchangeable therewith to dispose the same below thepanel to thereby reducethe dye solution content of the tub`for less thanfull capacity operation; a perforate bottom screen spaced above thebottom of said-tub; a rotary propeller mounted in said partition betweensaid mixing chamber and said dyeing chamber and below the level of saidbottom screen of the latter; means for rotating said propelleralternately in opposite directions; and said dyeing chamber having inopposition to said propeller an upwardly and outwardly inclined wall,whereby when the dye solution is forced upwardly through said dyeingchamber a whirling current is produced within the latter above saidbottom screen adapt d to agitate and shift about the individual pgecesof material to thoroughly intermixthe same.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this fifth day of February, 1929.

KARL FRIEDRICH KRANEY.

up the mass and shift about the individual pieces into new relativepositions.

2. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the dye solutioncirculating means comprises a rotary propeller, and means to alternatelydrive said propeller in opposite directions.

3. In an apparatusas dened in claim 1,

in which the wall of said dyeing chamber opposed to said dye solution'circulating `in the lower end of said dyeing chamber

